3 Oversized Planters You Can Make From Upcycled Items

Amp up your curb appeal (and save some cash) by transforming an old tire, trash can or laundry basket into an eye-catching planter.

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March 09, 2020

By: Chelsea Faulkner

Related To:

Upcycled Ombre Tire Planter

Don't toss those spent tires! Turn them into chic planters with a little paint and a few basic materials from the hardware store. For this project, you'll need an old tire, a plastic terra cotta saucer, rolling wood barrel mover, white exterior spray paint & primer-in-one, navy blue exterior spray paint, light blue exterior spray paint, and construction adhesive.

WOOD BARREL MOVER: The Home Depot, $7.98

Clean + Paint

Thoroughly clean an old tire with degreaser, then follow up with soap, water and a hard bristle brush to get the majority of gunk out of the grooves. Let the tire dry completely, then spray with a base coat of white exterior paint + primer-in-one. Let that dry, then follow up with a second coat. Once paint is dry, lay the tire on its side and spray the bottom with navy blue spray paint, using quick short bursts to create the beginning of an ombre effect.

Ombre

Spray a layer of light teal paint just above the navy blue paint in quick, short bursts, allowing the overspray to create the appearance that the colors are bleeding into one another. Let dry.

Paint Base

Find a plastic terra cotta saucer to fit the base of your tire. Paint the bottom of the saucer the same navy hue as your tire, then apply a line of construction adhesive along the saucer's top edge.

PLASTIC SAUCER: The Home Depot, $4.98

Attach Base

Turn saucer over, center it and press firmly into the bottom of the tire.

Clean It Up

Wipe up any excess adhesive with a cloth, then let it dry according to package instructions.

Touch Up

Once dry, create a seamless look by spray painting the white adhesive navy blue.

Create Drainage

Most plastic plant saucers come with pre-determined divets that you can drill into to create drainage holes. If yours does not, drill about five equally-spaced holes across the bottom of the saucer that will allow water to drain when planted.

Make It Mobile

We found this pre-made barrel mover at the hardware store for $8. If you can't find one of these in your area, any plant stand with casters will work. Squeeze a line of construction adhesive along the top of the rolling stand, then flip over and press firmly into the saucer base. Be careful not to cover any drainage holes! Let the glue dry before planting.

BUY IT: The Home Depot, $7.98

Plant + Enjoy

Fill your pretty new planter with colorful blooms and enjoy! When you're ready for a new look, simply roll it to another location or paint it a fresh, seasonal color.

Nautical Laundry Basket Planter

Has your plastic laundry basket seen better days? Give it new life as a summery, jute-wrapped planter. For this project, you'll need a plastic laundry basket, 1/2-inch 3-ply jute rope, navy blue rope, high-temp hot glue, drill and drill bit, and a plastic drop cloth or trash bag.

Create Drainage

Drill a hole in each corner and the center of the bottom of the basket to allow water to drain when planted.

Add Jute

Squeeze a line of high-temp hot glue along the bottom edge of the basket, then quickly attach 1/2", 3-ply natural jute rope.

BUY IT: Hobby Lobby, $18.99

Continue

Once the bottom layer is complete, continue wrapping the basket, adding a bead of glue about every four inches to secure the rope. Stop about four inches from the top, or 3/4 of the way up.

Cut

Cut jute at an angle and glue down onto itself.

Add Accent Color

Cut a length of navy blue rope, then continue gluing and wrapping where the jute left off. Wrap two layers, then cut the rope at an angle and glue down.

Finish It Up

Wrap the rest of the basket in natural jute, stopping at the lip of the basket, just below the handles.

Wrap Handles

Hot glue a piece of navy blue rope to the back of one handle, wrap the entire handle with rope, then secure with a bead of hot glue on the other end. Repeat on other handle.

Add a Liner

Cut a piece of plastic drop cloth or use a large trash bag to line the inside of the planter. This will keep dirt and debris from leaking through the basket and staining the rope.

Add a Liner (cont.)

Use hot glue to attach the plastic liner to the inside of the planter, cutting away any excess. Don't forget to cut a couple of small holes in the bottom for drainage.

Plant + Enjoy

This nautical-inspired basket looks gorgeous filled with lush, colorful summer blooms like vibrant yellow marigolds and bright pink celosia.

DIY Shiplap-Inspired Planter

Transform a plastic trash can into a farmhouse-chic planter for less than $10. For this project, you'll need a square or rectangular plastic trash can, brown spray paint, high-temp hot glue, construction adhesive and salvaged lath boards.

Paint Trash Can

If your trash can is white or another light color, hit it with a quick coat of brown spray paint. No need to cover it perfectly, just spray enough to hide the white.

Drill Drainage Holes

Drill a hole in each corner and the center of the bottom of the trash can to allow water to drain when planted.

Measure Wood

Measure the width of the top of your trash can, then cut two wood lath boards to that length (one for the front and one for the back). If your trash can is a different width at the top than the bottom, continue the measuring and cutting process down the length of the can until you have enough pieces to fully cover it. If your can is the same width all the way down, simply cut enough pieces to cover the front and back. Don't measure the sides of the can just yet — we'll get to that later.

Pro Tip:

Reclaimed lath boards, used as wall material in older homes, can usually be found at salvage shops or scrap wood stores. Because lath is so soft, a hand saw is sufficient for cutting.

Glue Boards

Starting at the top of the trash can, squeeze a few lines of construction adhesive in rows down the front. Add a dot of hot glue to each end of the first lath board (this will help hold it in place while the construction adhesive dries), then press firmly into the adhesive.

Continue

Continue gluing boards, butting them up tightly against each other so that very little of the trash can shows through, until the front is fully covered with wood. Repeat this process on the back.

Pro Tip:

If you get to the bottom and there's a small strip of trash can left to cover, simply break one of the wood boards in half, then glue on.

Measure & Cut Side Strips

For the sides, forgo the measuring tape and simply hold the lath board against the planter, measure with a marker, then cut to length. Continue this process down the length of the can. Tip: we measured from the outside edges of the front and back boards so that the side boards would sit on top and show from the front. If you don't want the rough edges of the side boards to show, measure in between the front and back boards.

Glue Strips

Attach side boards just as you did the front and back, using a hot glue gun to hold wood in place temporarily, and construction adhesive for a long-lasting bond.

Continue

Repeat process on the other side.

Planting Hack

To save on potting soil and make the planter easier to move, fill the bottom half with plastic bottles before adding dirt and blooms.

Put It on Display

Place your new shiplap-inspired planter next to the front door for a farmhouse-chic look you can enjoy all year long.

Shop This Look

Photo By: Jalynn Baker

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3 Oversized Planters You Can Make From Upcycled Items

Related To:

Upcycled Ombre Tire Planter

Clean + Paint

Ombre

Paint Base

Attach Base

Clean It Up

Touch Up

Create Drainage

Make It Mobile

Plant + Enjoy

Nautical Laundry Basket Planter

Create Drainage

Add Jute

Continue

Cut

Add Accent Color

Finish It Up

Wrap Handles

Add a Liner

Add a Liner (cont.)

Plant + Enjoy

DIY Shiplap-Inspired Planter

Paint Trash Can

Drill Drainage Holes

Measure Wood

Pro Tip:

Glue Boards

Continue

Pro Tip:

Measure & Cut Side Strips

Glue Strips

Continue

Planting Hack

Put It on Display

Shop This Look

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